Some known satellite tracking systems employ space surveillance sensors such as the space surveillance network (SSN) to gain or re-gain positional information of a satellite or a resident space object (RSO) that has maneuvered from an initial orbit to a final orbit along a transfer orbit (e.g., a transfer maneuver). Uncertainty in the time and location of an initial transfer maneuver typically causes uncertainty as to the position or location of the satellite during the transfer orbit. Typically, after the transfer maneuver initiates, custody (e.g., positional awareness) of the satellite is lost and later regained after the satellite has performed a final maneuver to enter the final orbit. The space surveillance sensors seeking the satellite typically conduct searches that are not coordinated and rely on limited observations and/or historical profiles that provide a rough estimate of orbit parameters. Current search approaches often lead to inefficient use of sensor resources as sensors cover regions that do not represent the satellite's position, fail to cover locations where the satellite is located, and/or do not coordinate search attempts between sensors leading to overlapping coverage. The resulting uncertainty causes significant delays in regaining custody of the satellite and a wait time of hours or days before the position of the satellite is known.
Additionally, it is difficult to determine a position of a satellite owned or operated by non-cooperating entities, or a satellite for which communication has been lost. Typically, several hours may be required to track the positions of these satellites based on known search methods. In some scenarios, the positional data for a satellite is determined after the satellite has reached the final orbit.